'Enabling the smuggling of migrants' —Lithuania files ICJ proceedings against Belarus amid border security concerns

Lithuania instituted legal proceedings against Belarus in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on May 19, alleging that Minsk is "facilitating, supporting, and enabling the smuggling of migrants" into Lithuania.

According to a news release issued by the ICJ, Vilnius alleges that Minsk is behind an influx in illegal border crossings from Belarus into Lithuania, adding that Minsk fails "to take necessary border measures to prevent and detect the smuggling of migrants and to ensure the security and control of documents."

Since 2021, Vilnius has accused Minsk of orchestrating a surge in irregular migrant crossings into Lithuania in an effort to destabilize Ukraine's EU and NATO ally.

“(T)he smuggling of migrants through Belarus into Lithuania has caused serious harm to Lithuania’s sovereignty, security, and public order, as well as to the rights and interests of the smuggled migrants themselves, who have been exposed to grave abuses in trying to reach Lithuanian territory," Vilnius said in its claim against Minsk.

Despite raising the issue with Belarusian authorities, Vilnius says that Minsk has refused to cooperate to limit illegal migration.

Lithuania previously said in April 2023 that it has has refused entry to 20,000 migrants from Belarus, although that number has significantly grown since. Vilnius previously demanded Minsk pay 120 million euros ($134 million) from Belarus for facilitating the mass crossings.

Lithuania borders Russia's Kaliningrad exclave to the southwest and Belarus to the east and south. Tensions between NATO and Moscow have escalated since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Belarus — who has not yet responded to the proceedings initiated by Lithuania — is one of Russia's staunchest allies and part of Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine was launched from its territory.

Moscow has previously been accused of similar tactics, aimed at destabilizing NATO allies in the Baltics.

In response to Helsinki's accession into NATO, Finland has accused neighboring Russia of weaponizing migration by encouraging migrants from countries like Syria and Somalia to cross the border.

As Lithuania continues to strengthen its defenses along its borders with Belarus and Russia, the country announced on May 5 that it will invest 1.1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) over the next decade to install anti-tank mines in order to "block and slow" a possible invasion.

Western intelligence agencies have warned of a potential large-scale war in Europe within the next five years, citing Russia's increasingly aggressive posture.